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LORAINE 


AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE OF SPRING 


THE ELIZABETH GORDON 


CHILDREN’S SERIES 

The Butterfly Babies’ Book 
Watermelon Pete and Others 
Granddad Coco Nut’s Party 
Dolly and Molly at the Seashore 
Dolly and Molly at the Circus 
Dolly and Molly and the Farmer Man 
Dolly and Molly on Christmas Day 
Loraine and the Little People 
I Wonder Why? 

Loraine and the Little People of Spring 


LORAINE and the 

Little People of Spring 


By 


ELIZABETH GORDON 

• i* 

Author of “Watermelon Pete,” “ The Dolly and Molly 
Series,” “ Granddad Coco Nut's Party,” “Butterfly 
Babies Book,” “ Loraine and the Little 
People,” “I Wonder Why?” 


Illustrated by 

ELLA DOLBEAR LEE 



RAND McNALLY & COMPANY 

CHICAGO 



Copyright, iqi 8, by 
Rand McNally & Company 




R 


JUL 15 I3i8 

©CI.A501 191 


THE CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Going to Maine 9 

The Bubble Breakers 14 

The Pine Tree Ladies 20 

The Sweet Pea Planters 26 

The Gnomes 32 

Prince Sweetwater 38 

The Captain and the Soldiers 43 

The Defeat of Jack Frost 48 

The Re-planter People 54 

The Little People of Spring 60 


5 



ANOTHER WORD TO THE CHILDREN 


When some one goes away, some one whom we love and 
are ’mensely interested in,* how delighted we always are 
when we get a letter from that “Some One” telling us all 
about the new home and the new work and the new play! 

I am sure that you have all loved dear, brave little 
Loraine, and that you will want to know how she is, and 
what she is doing, and whether she has kept for her friends 
the Little People who were so kind to her. 

And so I want you to pretend that this new little book 
about her is a letter from her to you! 

And the best way to answer this letter will be by being 
just as happy, and just as busy, as Loraine and the Little 
People are every day. 

Your friend, 

Elizabeth Gordon 


7 



Oh, Mother — Grandmother has written! 





LORAINE and the 

LITTLE PEOPLE OF SPRING 


GOING TO MAINE 

Loraine was thinking all the way home from school 
one sunny day in March that it must be time for a letter 
from Grandmother, who lived away up in Maine. Oddly 
enough, the postman was just leaving as she opened the 
gate. “ There's a letter for you, Loraine," he called cheerily. 

“Oh, thank you, Postman," said Loraine. “ I hope it is 
from Grandmother." 

Loraine hung her coat and hat on the rack, put her 
books on the table and then ran to find Mother, who 
said, “Here, dear, is a letter from Grandmother." 

“Oh, goody," said Loraine. “Let's hurry and read it, 
and see what's the news." 

Grandmother Jived on a big place just outside of a city 
in Maine, and so her letters were always interesting. 

“Oh, Mother," said Loraine, “Grandmother has written 
to say that she wants me to come and visit her now, instead 
of waiting until summer. She says that Grandfather wants 
me to help in the maple sugar making." 

“Would you like to go, dear?" asked Mother. 

“I should love it," answered the little girl. “But 
do you think I could leave school?" 


9 


10 


LORAINE 


> “ Father and Mother think that school is not so impor- 
tant as our little girl’s health,” said her mother. “We 
want you to spend this year out in the fresh air, and to grow 
strong and healthy. So, if you think you will not be lonely 
with Grandmother, you may go as soon as we can get you 
ready.” 

“But you know, Mother, I am never lonely,” said 
Loraine. 

“Well, then,” said Mother, “go and write to Grand- 
mother, and say that you and nursie will be with her a week 
from Saturday. Be sure to thank her for the invitation ” 

The next few days were spent in happy preparation, 
having strong little dresses made, and buying stout little 
boots and leggings, for Maine is still quite cold in March. 
Best of all the things bought, Loraine liked the lovely little 
set of garden tools and fascinating little packages of seeds 
with the pictures of the little flower folk on the outside. 
For she was going to make a garden, all her own self. 

Then came the going away day. Father and Mother 
and Big Sister all came to the station to say good-by. 
How excited Loraine was as the big train pulled into the 
station, and they climbed on. 

“ Good-by, Loraine,” called Father and Mother. “ Have 
a good time until we come to take you to the seashore.” 

“Be sure to get nicely sunburned, and ask Grandmother 
to send me some maple sugar,” called Big Sister. 

Then they were off. Loraine was so fascinated by the 
Little People of Steam who were running along beside the 


GOING TO MAINE 


11 



Father and Mother and Big Sister all came to the station to say good-by 
to Loraine and nursie 


train waving their dainty white banners and weaving beauti- 
ful wreaths in the air, that before she was even sleepy it 
was time to go to bed in the dear little bedroom that the 
porter made up for her. And when nursie called her in the 



12 


LORAINE 


morning the green of the Far Country had changed as by 
magic into beautiful white fields of snow. 

Soon they stopped at a pretty station where they got out, 
and there was Grandfather waiting for them, with a sleigh 
and two perfectly darling horses. 

“ Where is Grandmother ?” asked Loraine. 

“It is so early in the morning, ” said Grandfather, 
“that she thought she would not come to the station but 
would stay at home and have breakfast ready for us.” 

Such a ride home as it was, in the winter sunshine, 
behind the horses Billy and Jennie. And Grandmother 
was so glad to see them, and had such a delicious breakfast 
for them — buckwheat cakes with golden honey, and fresh 
warm milk from Nellie, the Jersey cow. 

“ Grandfather,” said Loraine, “I like horses better than 
automobiles.” 

“Do you, dear? And why?” asked Grandfather. 

“Because,” said Loraine, “they are alive, and breathe, 
and know how to love you.” 

“Slip on your coat,” said Grandfather, “and come out 
to the stable with me. Lve a surprise for you.” 

Out in the stable Billy and Jennie were munching their 
oats, and in a little stall all by himself was the dearest pony. 

“For you,” said Grandfather. 

Loraine clasped her hands. “For me?” she said. 
“Oh!” It was all she could say. She was so happy. 

It was a white pony with brown spots all over him. “ I 
shall call him Brownie,” said Loraine. 





mmm 

SISlII 




In a little stall was just the dearest pony 






THE BUBBLE BREAKERS 

Monday morning as Loraine opened her eyes in her little 
white room at Grandmother’s, there was her old friend 
Sun Beam, dancing around the room. 

“ Hello, Loraine,” he called, “get dressed and come on 
outdoors. I ’m so busy with the snow melting that I have 
not a moment to spare.” 

Downstairs Grandfather was waiting for her. “Eat 
your breakfast, dear,” he said, “and put on warm things. 
We are going to the sugar orchard this morning.” 

“Oh, goody,” said Loraine. “Now I shall see how the 
sugar is really made.” 

It was a lovely morning, and as they drove into the 
woods little Molly Cottontail, still wearing her white winter 
furs, dashed across the road, and old Daddy Bluejay called 
“Quick, quick, quick!” 

“Bluejay is always in a hurry,” said Grandfather. 
“But we have the whole day before us.” 

Pretty soon they came to the sugar trees, standing tall 
and gray in the sunshine, and John the Hired Man brought 
up great pails of the sweet maple sap and poured it into 
a big black kettle which hung outside the cabin. 

“Now,” said Grandfather, when he had built a fire 
under the kettle, “you shall stay here and watch the kettle 
for me, to see that it does not boil over.” 

“But how shall I know, Grandfather?” asked Loraine, 
“and how can I prevent it?” 


14 


THE BUBBLE BREAKERS 


15 



“Hello, Loraine,” called Sun Beam, “ get dressed and come on outdoors ” 


“When you see it bubble up to the top, just throw a 
handful of this nice clean snow in it,” said Grandfather. 

So when the sap began boiling so fast that she thought 
it would surely splash over, Loraine threw some snow in it. 
It stopped bubbling at once, and a little person in a crimson 
cap and sweater peered over the edge of the kettle and 


16 


LORAINE 


asked in a surprised voice, “Why, Loraine, why did you do 
that?” 

“Because,” she said, “the kettle was going to boil over.” 

“Well, that is the fault of the Fire Fiend,” said the small 
person. “There's no depending upon him. Sometimes he 
works like mad, and again he lies down in his bed of ashes 
and goes to sleep. Says it all depends on the way the 
wind blows. Come on, men!” he called. “Here are the 
bubbles again.” 



THE BUBBLE BREAKERS 


17 



Then Loraine saw that all around the rim of the big 
kettle were dozens of Little People, all in crimson caps and 
sweaters, with long spears in their hands, with which they 
broke the bubbles as fast as they appeared. Faster and 
faster they worked, and just as Loraine thought the sap 
would surely boil over, the small person leaned over and 
said, “Friend Fire, do not give us so much heat, please.” 

“Oh, very well,” sputtered the Fire Fiend, with a jolly 
little wink at Loraine. “ These Bubble Breakers are terribly 
hard to please.” 

“So you break the bubbles,” said Loraine. “How does 
that help to make the maple sugar?” 


18 


LORAINE 


“Why,” answered the small person, “if we did not 
break the bubbles the water in the sap would no*- evapo- 
rate, and there would n’t be any sugar.” 

“Are you the King?” asked Loraine. 

“Mercy, no,” answered the small person, “I’m just the 
Chief Bubble Breaker. Look out there!” he called as one 
of his little ’men leaned too far over and nearly fell into 
the kettle. “Do you want to be boiled into sugar?” 

All the Bubble Breakers laughed at that, and so the 
kettle nearly boiled over again. Then the Fire Fiend, with 
a mischievous nod at Loraine, began working so that the 
Bubble Breakers had a hard time to keep up, and they all 
began to sing, 

“Oh, we pierce a bubble here, 

We pierce a bubble there. 

We are so busy every single minute, 

We work so merrily, 

So the sugar’ll have, you see, 

The real sweet maple sugar flavor in it.” 

Then Grandfather came back. “Did the sap boil over, 
Loraine?” he asked. 

“No, Grandfather,” said Loraine, looking at the Bubble 
Breaker chief, who was still at work. 

“We will try this sirup now,” said Grandfather, “and 
if it makes jackwax we’ll take it home to Grandmother, to 
finish at home.” 


THE BUBBLE BREAKERS 


19 



So they poured some on the nice clean snow, and it 
made a soft candy, like taffy, only much better. Then 
they poured it all in a pail, and raked the ashes over the Fire 
Fiend so that he could not wander about in the woods and 
make mischief, and then they started for home. 

“ Good-by, Loraine,” called the Bubble Breakers. 

“Good-by, Loraine,” the woods echoed. 

“The south wind is rising,” said John the Hired Man. 
“It will be a good sugar day to-morrow.” 


THE PINE TREE LADIES 


“Loraine,” said Grandfather, “John the Hired Man 
and I are going to the sugar orchard, to put away the things 
until next year. Would you like to come with us to look 
for May flowers ?” 

“Yes, indeed, Grandfather,” said Loraine. “May I 
take Brownie the pony?” 

“That will be a good plan,” said Grandfather, “because 
we are going to walk.” 

“I have put some lunch for you in this basket,” said 
Grandmother, “and in it I have put some blunt-pointed 
scissors to cut the flowers with.” 

It was a lovely ride to the woods. Spring was coming, 
though patches of snow still lingered in the deep woods, 
for the tops of the soft maples were beginning to show 
red, and the mother willows had their arms full of pussy 
willow kittens that looked as though they could really purr. 

“Just back of the sugar cabin, in that clump of pine 
woods, you will find the trailing arbutus,” said Grandfather. 
“Leave Brownie here, and run along by yourself. We shall 
be in sight all the time, and when we are ready to go we will 
call you.” 

So Loraine went tramping through the woods until she 
came to the pines. My, but it was lovely in there! The 
sun shining through the branches looked as if it were stream- 
ing through the stained window of a church, and the ground 
was thickly covered with pine needles. But not a flower 


20 



My, but it was lovely there! 











22 


LORAINE 


could she find, though she hunted and hunted and hunted . 

“It must be too early for Mayflowers,” she said at last. 

“ Nonsense !” said a tiny voice. “The only way to find 
a thing is to look where it is!” 

Loraine was so surprised that she nearly forgot to be 
polite. “Why!” said she, “I did look everywhere.” 

Then she just could n't help laughing at the funny Little 
People who were all around her, they looked so prim and old- 
fashioned in their long green dresses that touched the 
ground. 

“Do tell me your names,” said she. “I’ve never seen 
any one like you before.” 

“ We are the Pine Tree Ladies,” said the Queen, who was 
dressed just like the others except for her crown, “and we 
are especially appointed by Mother Nature to look after 
the trailing arbutus beds. We were told that you were 
coming to the woods to-day to look for the flower, and so 
before we show you where it is we must ask you to promise 
that you will take only what flowers you need, and that 
you will not break the vines.” 

“Why, surely,” said Loraine, “that is why I brought 
my scissors. And besides, I love the flowers.” 

“I am sure you do, Loraine,” said the little Queen, 
“ because all the Little People love you. So come with us.” 

Then the Pine Tree Ladies led the way to a sheltered 
nook where the snow still lay, and began rolling up the edges 
of the snow patch just as though it were a blanket on a 
baby’s bed. And there were the little pinky buds of the 


23 


THE PINE TREE LADIES 



trailing arbutus asleep in their pretty dull green leaves. 
Loraine was delighted. Very carefully she cut as many as 
her little basket would hold, and the Pine Tree Ladies 
showed her how to cover them with damp moss. Then 
they spread the snow coverlet over the buds again. 


24 


LORAINE 


“ Thank you so much, Queen Pine Tree Lady,” said 
Loraine. “I could never have imagined that they were 
asleep under the snow.” 

“ We are very glad you came, Loraine,” said the Queen. 
“The little Winds are always talking of the good times 
you used to have in the orchard last year. But now as we 
have disturbed the flowers, I think we will sing them to 
sleep again.” 

“Oh, do!” said Loraine. “Ld love to hear you sing.” 

So all the little Pine Tree Ladies flew up among the 
thick pine branches, and Loraine sat down on the soft 
carpet of pine needles to listen. 

The song was something like this: 

“Woo-oo — woo-oo, woo-oo, woo-oo, 

Our lullaby we sing, 

Woo-oo, woo-oo, woo-oo, woo-oo, 

To soothe the flowers of Spring. 

Woo-oo, woo-oo, woo-oo, woo-oo.” 

“Hoo-oo, hoo-oo-oo,” called a very different sort of 
voice. Loraine sat up and listened. Almost she thought 
it must be a giant, it sounded so big after the soft, sweet 
voices of the Little People. But it was only John the Hired 
Man, coming to meet her, to carry her basket for her. 
Loraine went through the woods to meet him. 

“Did you find some flowers?” he asked. 

“Yes, indeed,” she answered. “My basket is full of 
lovely trailing arbutus buds.” 


THE PINE TREE LADIES 


25 



From afar off came a soft, soothing song from the pine 
trees. 

“How the wind whistles through the pine trees,” said 
Grandfather, as he put Loraine on Brownie’s back. “It 
must be going to rain.” 

Loraine smiled. 


THE SWEET PEA PLANTERS 

“ Spring o' the Year/' sang the Meadow Lark one 
bright May morning. 

“ Meadow Lark says that it is time to plant our 
gardens, Miss Loraine,” said John the Hired Man. 

“Oh, goody !” said Loraine. “Til go and bring my 
garden tools.” 

“ Grandfather says that I may spade up your garden this 
morning,” said John the Hired Man, “and then you can 
smooth it into beds yourself.” 

All day Loraine worked happily, smoothing the warm 
brown earth into tiny beds. The next day she brought out 
the pansies and nasturtiums, which had been growing in 
boxes on her window sill, and put them in their summer 
homes. 

The pansies she gave a bed all to themselves, and planted 
sweet alyssum and candytuft around the border for com- 
pany. The nasturtiums are restless children, always trying 
to climb over something, so she put them around a heap 
of stones which John the Hired Man had brought from 
the bed of the babbling brook. Next morning when she 
came out to see them they seemed as happy as though 
they had never moved. 

“What shall you do to-day, Loraine?” asked Sun Beam, 
dancing around her. 

“ I ’m going to sow some seeds,” answered Loraine. “ I 
shall have lots of the poppies, and marigolds and hollyhocks 


26 


THE SWEET PEA PLANTERS 


27 


y 



“ Spring o’ the year,” sang the Meadow Lark one bright May morning 


and forget-me-nots. And Petunia must have a corner all 
to herself, because I do love Petunia !” 

“Don’t you love all the flower children?” asked Sun 
Beam. 

“Yes, indeed I do,” answered Loraine, “but some most 
’specially.” 

The hollyhocks she planted against the garden wall, 
and the morning glories she planted around the sleepy seat 
that John the Hired Man had made for her in her garden. 

It was a very tired and happy little girl v/ho went to 


28 


LORAINE 


sleep that night so quickly that all she saw or heard of 
Queen o' Sleep was just a faint flutter of her wings. 

“Now what shall you plant?” asked Sun Beam when 
Loraine came to the garden in the morning. 

“ Sweet peas,” said Loraine quickly. “ Because of all the 
lovely flower children I do think sweet peas are the very 
loveliest.” 

When Loraine opened the package of sweet pea seeds, 
she couldn't help laughing at their funny little wrinkly 
faces, that looked as if they were going to laugh or cry the 
next minute, but did not quite know which. 

Then she made some tiny little furrows, about half an 
inch deep. She started to put in a seed, when a little voice 
said, “Dear me, Loraine! That’s not the way to plant 
sweet peas!” 

Loraine looked up in surprise. Then she laughed. 
There stood the funniest little chap, dressed in a green and 
yellow suit with long gloves and leggings, and he was lean- 
ing on the very smallest garden spade in the world. It was 
about the size of Mother’s salt spoons. 

“I do not remember ever having seen you before,” 
said Loraine. “Will you tell me your name?” 

“We are the Sweet Pea Planters,” said the small person, 
“and if you had left the seeds as near the top of the ground 
as you were planting them, they would have just been 
breakfast for Mr. and Mrs. Blackbird, unless my crew and 
I had worked all night to replant them. Sweet peas must 
do down deep — like this.” Then he puckered up his funny 



There stood the funniest little chap dressed in a green and yellow suit 


30 


LORAINE 



little mouth and whistled, and a whole flock of Little People 
came swinging along, singing, 

“We are the Sweet Pea Planter people, 

We dig the furrows way down deep, 

We put the sweet pea children ’way down 
In their comfy beds to sleep. 

Down, down, down, down, in their beds to sleep.” 

Then they all began digging with their little spades, and 
almost before you could count ten there was a deep hole, 


THE SWEET PEA PLANTERS 


31 


as much as five or six inches. Then four or five small 
Planter People, with a “Heave ho,” rolled a sweet pea 
into the hole, and others covered it up with earth. 

“Now,” said the head planter person, “you see how it 
is done, Loraine.” 

Then they all trotted away, singing, “Down, down, 
down, deep.” 

“Good-by, Loraine,” called the planter person. 

“I planted my sweet peas to-day, Grandmother,” said 
Loraine that evening. 

“Did you read the directions?” asked Grandmother. 
“You know sweet peas must go deep.” 

“Yes, I know, Grandmother,” answered the little girl. 
“And Lm sure they are deep enough.” 



THE GNOMES 


Loraine’s garden had kept her so busy that she had not 
found time to read the new book that Mother had sent her. 
So now she took the book into the garden and curled up 
in her sleepy seat. But she could not become interested in 
the story. Her thoughts were all of her garden. 

“I wonder,” she said to herself, “what the seeds are 
doing now. I wish there were some way that I could look 
in and see!” 

“Come on in, then — the growing is fine!” said a jolly 
little voice. 

Surprised and delighted, Loraine saw perched on 
the back of the seat the oddest little person. His suit 
was brown with green buttons, and he wore big glasses 
perched on his funny nose. He looked like a very tiny 
chauffeur. 

“Why, you funny little person, how could I 'come on 
in’ ?” asked Loraine. 

“Easiest thing in the world,” laughed the cheerful 
small person. “Just come with me in the subway train 
for Rootland.” 

“Do you live in Rootland?” asked Loraine. 

“ Surely,” said he. “ I ’m the guard on the subway train. 
This way! Step lively, please, and kindly shrink a bit. 
You’re a trifle too large for the elevator.” 

Loraine felt herself growing smaller and smaller, but 
she did not mind it a bit. Then she found that they were 

32 


THE GNOMES 


33 



in a tiny elevator which was really going down in the earth. 

“What station?” called the guard. 

“Stop at the sweet pea station,” said Loraine, “if you 
please, Guard. I’m ’mensely interested in the sweet pea 
children.” 

“ Right O,” said the guard, “here we are. This way for 
the nursery.” 

They stepped from the elevator into a long room with 


3 


34 


LORAINE 


rows and rows of tiny beds, each bed holding a sleeping sweet 
pea child. 

“How long will they sleep, Guard?” asked Loraine, 
“and what name shall I call you?” 

“Oh, they will be up in three or four days now,” said 
the guard, “and 

“My family name is Gnome 
And we always make our home 
About six or seven inches underground, 

And I tell you what, my dear, 

At this season of the year 

We’re the busiest Little People ever found.” 

“What other work is yours, besides being guard on 
the subway?” asked Loraine. 

“Oh, there’s always something to be done in between 
trips,” laughed the funny little chappie, as he stooped down 
and turned a sweet pea child over in its bed. “Here’s this 
youngster, you see, starting to grow upside down! What 
are you trying to do, Susie Sweet Pea — grow down to China 
and be a China Aster?” 

Susie Sweet Pea just smiled sleepily, and cuddled down 
again. 

“Where are all the other people of Rootland?” asked 
Loraine. 

“Very likely in the Council Chamber,” answered the 
Gnome. “I’ll take you there to meet the Queen.” 

Through a long, dimly lighted hall or passage the Gnome 


THE GNOMES 


35 



led Loraine until they came to a big door guarded by two 
fat old moles in police uniform. 

The Gnome gave the password and the door opened. 
My, but it was bright in there ! All around the room was 
a row of glow worms with lighted torches, and seated on a 


36 


LORAINE 


throne with a crown of rubies and gold on her head was the 
Queen of Rootland. Her ministers and ladies were around 
her, looking very wise. 

“This is Loraine, she who made this garden, Your 
Majesty/’ said the subway guard. 

“Welcome to Rootland,” said the Queen of the Gnomes. 
“We are in council to-day to find a name for the beau- 
tiful new tulip that you have sent us to care for. It will 
be a very beautiful flower, and must have a very nice 
name. Will you suggest one, Loraine, my dear?” 

“Oh, Your Majesty,” said Loraine, “may I name it 
the Gnome Queen, so that when I look at it I may always 
remember this visit, and you?” 

“Why, indeed you may, dear child,” answered the 
Queen, “and it is very sweet and dear of you to have 
thought of it.” 

Just then the bell began ringing furiously for the return 
trip on the Rootland subway, and Loraine said good-by to 
the Queen and ran through the dim halls just in time to 
catch the train. 

“Step lively, please,” called the guard, and before Lo- 
raine had time to realize it, she was back in her sleepy seat 
and Nora the Cook was ringing the bell for dinner. So 
Loraine picked up her book and went into the house. 

“It must have been very interesting,” said Grand- 
mother, meaning the new book. 

“Yes, indeed, Grandmother,” said Loraine, not meaning 
the book. 



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iVora the Cook was ringing the hell so Loraine picked up her hook 





PRINCE SWEETWATER 


"I wish I had time to go to the babbling brook for some 
mint this morning," said Nora the Cook, “to make some 
sauce for dinner." 

“I'll get some for you, Nora," said Loraine. 

“Well, then, child, run along," said Nora. “It's a fine 
day to be out of doors." 

So Loraine got Brownie, the pony, and they were off 
across the beautiful meadow to the babbling brook. 

Loraine remembered the very spot where the mint 
grew. It was close to the edge of the silent pool where 
Spotty the Trout had his home. A big moss-covered rock 
hung far out over the pool and made black shadows except 
where the sun was shining. Spotty the Trout was not a 
bit afraid, because nobody ever fished in the babbling 
brook, and he would come up for bits of bread or bacon, 
so Loraine climbed up on the big rock to feed him. 

Up he came at the very first bit she dropped in, his 
shiny coat with the red spots on the sides glistening like 
rubies in the sunshine. 

Loraine thought he really seemed to smile at her. “You 
are so beautiful, Spotty," said she, “and your home is so 
lovely. Who made it for you?" 

“Ha, ha," laughed a tiny voice. “Who made Spotty's 
home? Why, the Grotto People, of course! We make all 
the homes in the babbling brook." 

Loraine was surprised. It was a most beautiful prince 

38 


PRINCE SWEETWATER 


39 



Loraine climbed up on the big moss-covered rock to feed Spotty the Trout 


person who had answered. He was dressed in a silver suit 
and wore a crown of gold and pink coral on his yellow curls. 

“Oh,” said Loraine, “whoever can you be?” 

“I am Prince Sweetwater, of the Grotto People,” 
answered the shining person, “and I travel with my Little 
People all up and down the babbling brook, building new 


40 


LORAINE 


homes and repairing old ones. It is housecleaning time for 
Spotty the Trout to-day/' 

“May I watch you at work?" asked Loraine. 

“Indeed you may,” said Prince Sweetwater. Then he 
played a little musical call on a reed from the brookside. 
In an instant the babbling brook was full of little canoes 
that looked as though they were made of curled-up willow 
leaves, and in each canoe was a crew of the tiniest Little 
People Loraine had ever seen. 

Then the fun began. Some were sent to the bottom of 
the silent pool to polish the shining pebbles. Others with 
tiny pruning scissors worked on the overhanging vines and 
ferns. Then they swept the carpet of moss on the big rock, 
and then Prince Sweetwater asked Sun Beam to flash his 
light in all the corners to see if it was all clean. Loraine 
could see right into Spotty the Trout’s home. My, it was 
comfy and bright in there, with Spotty the Trout and all 
the little Trouts and their mother eating their breakfast of 
bread and bacon which Loraine had brought them. 

“That was quick work, was it not?” asked the prince 
person. 

“Indeed it was,” said Loraine. “Thank you, Prince, 
for letting me stay to see it.” 

“Glad you happened along,” said Prince Sweetwater. 
“But we must hurry along now. Fanny Frog has just 
sent us word that she has had to let out her kindergarten 
class because the floor of her lily pad schoolroom leaks.” 

Then they all jumped into their little canoes, which 


PRINCE SWEETWATER 


41 



looked for all the world like curled-up willow leaves, and 
paddled away. And as they drifted down the babbling 
brook they were singing a song which sounded like this: 


“We are merry, merry workers, 

We are never, never shirkers, 

We do the things our leader bids us do. 

We never mind the weather 
But we work and sing together, 

And we bid a gay good-by, Loraine, to you.” 


42 


LORAINE 


“My,” said Loraine to Brownie, “Nora must want the 
mint by now.” So she gathered a big fragrant bunch of 
it, arranged it in her basket, and then they went home. 

When she gave Nora the mint John the Hired Man 
said, “There must have been a big wind from the north last 
night. The babbling brook was all full of willow leaves from 
the willows upstream.” 

“Yes,” said Loraine, smiling. “I saw them.” But she 
knew that Boreas the North Wind person had not had much 
to do with that. 




THE CAPTAIN AND THE SOLDIERS 

“Grandmother,” said Loraine one morning, “may I go 
and get some wild flowers? John the Hired Man says that 
the meadow is filled with white violets.” 

“Why, certainly,” replied Grandmother, who was 
always glad to have the little girl out in the fresh air. 

“ I ’ll take my garden trowel, and perhaps I can find some 
ferns to bring home,” said Loraine as she kissed Grand- 
mother good-by. 

When she went to the stable for her trowel, Brownie the 
pony pushed his velvety nose through the bars of his stall 
and whinnied, which was his way of saying, “Please, 
Loraine, may I go too?” 


43 


44 


LORAINE 


“I would rather walk this morning, Brownie,” said 
Loraine, “but you may come along if you would like 
to.” So off they went, Brownie following Loraine like a 
big dog. 

First they went to the edge of the woods, where they 
found Trillium and Wake-Robin, and a little farther along 
they came to Solomon’s Seal, and then whom should they 
find standing up straight and tall but Jack-in-the-Pulpit. 
Loraine took just a few of each flower and placed them in 
her basket to take home, and then she went to the beauti- 
ful meadow, which was almost covered with the dear little 
white violets, which were sprinkling the air with their lovely 
perfume. Johnnie Jump Up, Violet’s cousin, was there 
too, in his lovely purple suit, because he is very fond of 
perfume, though he never uses any himself. 

Loraine gathered what flowers she wanted and put them 
into her basket. Then she said, “Come now, Brownie, we 
will go and look for ferns.” 

Near the bank of the babbling brook she found some 
beauties, just poking their curly heads out of the ground, 
and carefully lifting them with her garden trowel she 
placed them in the basket to take home. 

Then she climbed up on the big gray rock to give Spotty 
the Trout a bit of bread she had in her basket for him, and 
just as she ran down the sloping side of the rock she saw 
something that pleased her very much. It was a beautiful 
little bit of glossy leaved ivy, just peeping out of the ground. 

“Just exactly what I wanted,” said Loraine. “I will 



So off they went, Brownie following like a dog 




46 


LORAINE 


take it home and train it around my sleepy seat in my 
garden.” 

But just as she was slipping the trowel under it to remove 
it from the ground, a little voice said, very sternly, “Lo- 
raine, do not touch that!” 

Loraine drew back in surprise. No Little Person had 
ever spoken like that to her before. She stepped back up 
the side of the big gray rock, and then she saw that a whole 
army of Little People with shining swords made from the 
lances of the prickly thistle had surrounded the bit of ivy. 
The Captain came forward. Taking off his helmet, he 
bowed low and spoke: “I beg your pardon, Loraine, for 
speaking so sharply, but your hand was almost touching 
the ivy.” 

“But, Captain,” said Loraine, “why should I not take 
the ivy home to plant in my garden? I am always kind to 
the flower children!” 

“All the Little People know that you are kind,” said the 
Captain, “but this is poison ivy, and it would not be kind 
to you. We always try to warn all children not to touch it, 
but all are not as obedient as you are, so some are always 
being harmed.” 

“But this ivy grows all around John the Hired Man’s 
cottage,” said Loraine. 

. “No, Loraine,” answered the Captain. “The ivy that 
grows around the cottage is called woodbine. It has five 
leaves in a bunch and is perfectly harmless, but you will 
notice that this ivy has only three leaves in a bunch. You 


THE CAPTAIN AND THE SOLDIERS 


47 



Taking off his helmet , the Captain stepped f orward and bowed low to Loraine 


may always know the difference, if you will remember this.” 

Loraine thanked the little Captain and his soldiers, who 
marched away in the sunshine, their little silver swords 
shining. 

Loraine showed Brownie the poison ivy, and told him 
to be sure never to eat any of its leaves. Brownie smiled 
to himself, as much as to say, “ I know what is good to eat,” 
and kept on nibbling the nice green grass. 


THE DEFEAT OF JACK FROST 

Loraine’s Garden People were nearly all up. The tulips 
were holding up their pretty painted cups to catch the dew, 
the lilacs were nodding their beautiful purple plumes, the 
bleeding hearts had hung out their red and white dresses 
against the garden wall, and the apple and plum trees had 
shaken down their blossoms. The snowballs were not 
fully blossomed out white yet, but were just a delicate pale 
green. 

Loraine had been weeding her garden all the morning, 
and was now sitting in the sleepy seat resting. The day was 
not very warm, and nursie had brought a rug for the seat, 
and a big red sweater for Loraine, so that she would be 
nice and comfy out of doors. 

She was interestedly watching a big black and gold 
bumblebee getting his dinner from the purple lilacs, when 
she heard voices. 

“Ha, ha!” laughed some one whose voice she thought 
sounded familiar. “Why, the idea of your calling your- 
selves snowballs. Why, you’re not even white — you’re 
just a funny pale green.” 

Then another voice answered, coming, it seemed to 
Loraine, from the snowball bush: “But wait another 
week, until our blossoms are really out. Then you will 
see that we are beautifully white, and well worthy of being 
named Snowball.” 

“Nonsense,” said the first voice, “I could not wait a 


48 


THE DEFEAT OF JACK FROST 


49 



Loraine was watching a big bumblebee getting his dinner from the purple lilacs 


week at this season of the year, as you know well. And 
besides, you could not be real snowballs if I waited all 
summer.” 

“Can that be Jack Frost?” thought Loraine. “It cer- 
tainly sounds like his tinkly little voice.” 

She waited to hear what he would say next. 


4 


50 


LORAINE 



“Please, Jack Frost ” shivered the snowballs, “please go away." 


“To-night,” he went on, “ I shall prove to you that you 
are not one bit like real snowballs. Look,” said he, pointing 
to a dark cloud in the North, “over there my merry men 
wait for me, and when I whistle for them they will come 
and bring with them my good friend Snow, and then you 
will see what make-believes you really are.” 

The snowballs shivered. “Please, Jack Frost, go away. 
You know you have no business here at this season of the 
year, and you must have lots of work to do in the North.” 

“So it is Jack Frost,” thought Loraine. “I would beg 
him to go away, only he is out for a frolic, and nothing that 
I could say would change his mind.” 

Loraine realized, you see, that like all other mischievous 


THE DEFEAT OF JACK FROST 


51 


people, Jack Frost was thinking only of the fun he was going 
to have and not at all of the harm he might do, and so she 
knew that it would be quite useless to argue with him. 
So she tried to think of another way to save the tender 
plants and flowers who were too young to protect them- 
selves from his mischievous pranks. 

“If I could only get word to Sun Beam, ,, said she. 
“But he has not been near me all day. How can I get 
word to him?” 

Suddenly a little voice said, “Remember me, Loraine? 
I am Zephyr, South Wind’s tiniest child, and I will be your 
messenger.” 

“Oh, Zephyr,” said Loraine, “I am so glad to see you. 
Fly quickly and find Sun Beam, because Jack Frost is in 



Suddenly a little voice said , “ Remember me, Loraine? I am Zephyr 


52 


LORAINE 


the garden, and threatens to bring Snow to-night, and if he 
should do so think how it would harm all the flowers and 
plants.” 

“HI have him here in no time at all,” said Zephyr, 
and away she flew, trailing her white robes through the air. 
In less time than it takes to tell about it she was back with 
Sun Beam. 

“What are you doing here, Jack Frost?” asked Sun 
Beam. “You know that Mother Nature has told you to 
stay at your work in the North until fall.” 

“Oh, I just ran back to have a little frolic,” said Jack 
Frost swaggeringly. 

“Well, run along back now, Jackie, like a good chappie,” 
said Sun Beam kindly. 

“Not going,” said Jack Frost. 

Sun Beam did not say a single word more. He just 
flashed a signal to all his brothers, and in an instant there 
was a whole army of them in the garden, flashing their bright 
lances, and smiling encouragement to the flowers. The 
way Jack Frost went back to the North did Loraine’s heart 
good. Sun Beam and his brothers stayed in the garden 
until bedtime to make sure that the rascal would not return. 

When Loraine went in to supper Grandfather said, “ I 
thought once this afternoon that we should have to cover 
our gardens to-night, to save them from Jack Frost. But 
the sun came out just in time.” 

“Yes, Grandfather,” said Loraine. “Wasn't it just 
splendid?” 



There was a whole army of Sunbeam's brothers , flashing their bright lances 


THE RE-PLANTER PEOPLE 


It was a bright morning early in June, and Loraine 
and Brownie the pony had been for a scamper across the 
fields to the edge of the wood, looking for wild flowers. 
They had brought back some young ferns and some 
wake-robin and some sturdy yellow violets with their 
bright green leaves. 

As they came in sight of the house Loraine was sur- 
prised to see John the Hired Man down on his knees on the 
wide lawn busily digging things up. 

“Good morning, John, ,, she called. “What are you 
doing ?” 

John the Hired Man got up from the lawn and came 
to open the gate. “Wait a minute, Miss Loraine,” he 
called, “until I can get these sticky gloves off, and I will 
lift you down.” 

“I can get down alone, thank you, John,” said Loraine, 
as she slipped easily off Brownie’s fat round back. “But 
what makes your gloves so sticky?” 

“The juice from the dandelions I have been uprooting,” 
answered John the Hired Man. 

“Why, John,” said Loraine, “don’t you like the dande- 
lions? I do! They are so cheerful and pretty, and they 
look just like little bright suns in a green sky. Why do 
you dig them up, John?” 

“Grandfather likes a smooth, green lawn, and the dan- 
delions are both untidy and greedy, and they crowd the 


54 


THE RE-PLANTER PEOPLE 


55 





John the Hired Man came to open the gate for Loraine 


grass roots out,” answered John the Hired Man as he led 
Brownie away to the stable. 

It was a busy morning for Loraine. Grandfather was 
getting out the wheat to sow in the far fields. John the 
Hired Man was cutting up potatoes to plant in the kitchen 
garden. He showed Loraine how to cut them in small 
pieces with just one “eye” to the piece. Then he asked 
if she would like to come and help plant them. 


56 


LORAINE 


So she did. It was very interesting, and she was careful 
always to put the same number of pieces in each “hill.” 
Then John covered them over with earth and tucked them 
in all comfy like babies in their beds, and they left them 
to grow. 

After dinner, Grandfather said, “John the Hired Man 
and I are going to the far field to sow the wheat this after- 
noon, Loraine, and it’s too far for you to go. Can you 
keep busy and happy here?” 

“Yes indeed, Grandfather,” said Loraine. “Nora the 
Cook has promised that I may help her with the cookies — 
and besides I must water my garden.” 

It was really fun to help with the cookies. Nora the 
Cook brought out a number of little sharp cake cutters in 
queer shapes. Some she cut in hearts and some she cut in 
squares, and some with fluted edges and some with plain 
edges; and on some she sprinkled colored sugar, and on some 
she sprinkled caraway seeds. My! how good they smelled 
as they came out of the oven. Loraine thought she had 
never been so happy. When that was all done she slipped 
some of the crisp cookies into her sweater pocket, and got 
her little watering can, which she filled at the big tub by the 
well, which was always full so that thirsty animals could 
drink, and went to water her garden. 

And when she had finished that, she sat down in the 
big red swing on the wide lawn to rest and nibble her cookies. 

It was a lovely afternoon. Fleecy Cloud, the sky per- 
son, was having a romp with her brothers and sisters in the 


THE RE-PLANTER PEOPLE 


57 



meadows of the sky, and Sun Beam was amusing himself 
chasing the long green shadows across the wide lawn. 

Everything was quiet and restful. Suddenly Loraine 
heard a voice. It was a decided, commanding little voice, 
saying, “Move lively, move lively there. A little more 
earth under that corner — stamp it down now. All right, 
take the next. Poor things, they're so wilted they can 
scarcely help themselves at all. Handle them care fully, 
carefully, boys — that's right!" 

Loraine wondered who the Little People could be. 


58 


LORAINE 



The Re-planter People were busily replanting the dandelions which John the Hired 
Man had uprooted 


Each tiny man was dressed in a little yellow sweater, with 
brown shoes and stockings, and a green cap, with a fluffy 
white tassel, and each one had a small spade in his hand. 

Just then the Director saw her. “ Hello, Loraine!" he 
called. “Glad to see you, but we are most extremely busy, 
thanks to John the Hired Man. He's made us a lot of work. 
We are the Re-planters, in charge of uprooted dandelions, 
'specially appointed by Mother Nature. You can see for 
yourself, Loraine, that in cases like this, if some one did 
not help the poor things they would soon all be destroyed. 
And then what would the earth-children do?" 

“That is a perfectly splendid idea," said Loraine. “I 
was dreadfully worried about the dandelions, but I might 


THE RE-PLANTER PEOPLE 


59 


have known that Mother Nature would look after them.” 

“All right, men?” called the Director. “Well, then, 
forward march, sing.” 

“Good-by, Loraine,” he called, “and if the Rain 
People will send a bit of a shower to-night these poor little 
dandelions will be as good as new in the morning.” 

Then they all marched away, spades over their shoul- 
ders, singing, — the Director leading: 

“I am the gay Re-planter, 

Ready to come instanter; 

With my merry, merry men 
I can make all right again, 

For I am the gay Re-planter.” 

Then the men joined in the chorus: 

“Yes, he is the gay Re-planter, 

Ready to come instanter; 

With his merry, merry men 
He will make all right again, 

For he is the gay Re-planter.” 

Next morning the lawn was sparkling as though a fairy 
had sprinkled diamonds all over it, and the dandelions were 
shining like little suns in a sky of green. 

“ It rained in the night,” said John the Hired Man. “ I 
would n’t know I’d dug up a dandelion! Look at them! 
I believe they grow back as fast as I can dig them out!” 

Loraine laughed and said, “I love the dandelions.” 


THE LITTLE PEOPLE OF SPRING 


“ Summer ’scorning, Summer’s coming,” sang the father 
Robin Red Breast. 

“ Summer’s coming, Summer’s coming,” echoed the 
Meadow Lark. 

“ Summer’s coming, Summer’s coming,” sighed all the 
little Breezes. 

“Dear me,” sputtered Mrs. Fire Hang Bird, from her 
swinging nest in the elm tree, “why make such a fuss 
about it? Does n’t Summer always come at just this 
time?” 

“Why, yes, of course she does,” said Purple Martin, 
standing in the door of the big bird hotel which John the 
Hired Man had made for the Martin family, “but aren’t 
we always glad to see her?” 

Loraine heard all the chattering of the birds from the 
sleepy seat, where she was watching Jacky the Hornet build- 
ing an addition to his house under the back porch. She 
had begged Nora the Cook not to sweep down Jacky ’s 
nest, because she loved to watch him build it. 

“Oh, dear,” she sighed, “I do love Summer, but how 
I shall miss Spring.” 

“It is nice that you will miss me,” said a soft voice 
beside her, “ but I am sure that you will be very happy with 
Summer. My work here is over, and Mother Nature is 
sending me farther north. To-night at exactly twelve 
o’clock, when you are in your little bed and sound asleep, 


60 



Loraine heard all the chattering of the birds 





62 


LORAINE 


my Little People and I will spread our wings and fly away 
to the Northland.” 

“Do you work all the year round, dear Spring?” 
asked Loraine. 

“Goodness, yes,” answered Spring, smiling. “Life 
would not be very interesting without work, do you think, 
Loraine?” 

“But Spring, dear, don't you sometimes play?” asked 
the little girl. 

“Indeed we do,” answered the lovely creature, “and 
if it would amuse you, I will call all the Little People in my 
train together and we will dance for you.” 

“Oh, goody!” said Loraine. “I shall so love to have 
you dance for me.” 

Then Spring clapped her hands, and immediately the 
garden was filled with the most beautiful creatures. The 
beautiful sprite called Spring was surrounded by numberless 
other sprites only a little less beautiful than she, and besides 
those, there were all the other Little People whom Loraine 
had met during the springtime. She remembered them, 
every one, and smiled at them. 

There were the Bubble Breakers, looking a bit too 
warm in their red caps and sweaters, the Sweet Pea 
Planters, the Gnomes from Rootland, the Re-planter 
People, the Pine Tree Ladies in their long, full green 
dresses, the Grotto People in cool silvery green, and even 
the Captain and his soldiers, besides several other people 
whom Loraine had not met before. 


THE LITTLE PEOPLE OF SPRING 


63 



The beautiful sprite called Spring was surrounded by other sprites and Little People 


Robin Red Breast sang for the dancing — “Cheerily, 
cheerily, cheerily'’— and it was quite the most fun that 
Loraine had had since she came to the country. 

When the dance was over, and Robin had gone to find 
a dinner for Mrs. Robin, who was very busy, the Little 


64 


LORAINE 


People of Spring floated away. Loraine listened until the 
voices were lost in the distance. They were singing, 

“ Spring is going, Spring is going, 

Summer's coming, once again; 

Summer's coming, and is bringing 
Happy days to you, Loraine." 

“Well, Loraine," said Grandfather that evening, “shall 
you be glad to see Summer to-morrow?" 

“Yes, indeed, Grandfather," answered Loraine. “But 
Spring has been very beautiful." 









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